NEW Tokoname SO #1, Gisui Kyusu NEW

[kyarazen]

Oh my gosh, package arrived. Never had a special delivery truck come before noon ... until today!

Incredibly good delivery karma ... may some of this rub off on all your Gisui packages!

you're in NYC i suppose? ems from japan to nyc is real quick.. within 24 hrs sometimes...!

[Chip]

Oh my gosh, package arrived. Never had a special delivery truck come before noon ... until today!

Incredibly good delivery karma ... may some of this rub off on all your Gisui packages!

you're in NYC i suppose? ems from japan to nyc is real quick.. within 24 hrs sometimes...!

Nope, we are west of Philly. No matter how you ... pour it, EMS rocks, most of the time.

[Alex]

So how is she?

or did Toru send you this, purely for the LOLZ?

[Chip]

It is ... perfectly imperfect.

A couple things, first in general. These are twilight of career works. I have studied mostly nearing retirement kyusu by Gisui. As Alex already mentioned, it is not unusual to find little things that add some character and perhaps an indication of their Era of production.

Alex's previous Gisui (which has a fine new home ) has a true Gisui thumbprint, complete with thumbprint lines ... you have to look for it, but it is there.

This #1 mogake Gisui, which by the way is beautiful, has a thumb impression right near the hand signature, a curious location. Was it Gisui's age, was it done on purpose? I will likely never know, but I will likely wonder about it for years. It adds charm, regardless.

I have also seen a few from this Era (did not see this in this SO, but who knows) that had fingernail lines that followed along the kyusu as the pot was spinning. I might get one, but the price was quite high.

Anyway, I have come to expect a tiny bit of the unexpected.

[Chip]

Along with the hand signed box and written papers, this kyusu had a bamboo (?) woven mat with the kiln stamps versus the common cut orange cloth ... nice and different though it may never get used.

[Peacock]

Chip,

Let's see some pictures of the kyusu filled with sencha. It's obligatory!

[Alex]

I wonder if the finger print is intentional. It does seem sort of quite deliberate in its placing. Once others get theirs see if you can spot one!

[Chip]

Chip,

Let's see some pictures of the kyusu filled with sencha. It's obligatory!

Will work on that. I have been bad taking photos lately ... as in just not taking photos.

I wonder if the finger print is intentional. It does seem sort of quite deliberate in its placing. Once others get theirs see if you can spot one!

Perhaps he is the Alfred Hitchcock of Kyusu! *

[Chip]

Number 8 and 9 are finalized. You should receive confirmation and tracking if applicable directly from artisticnippon.com shortly.

[pizzapotamus]

Mine(7) is on the way as well, so that's everyone

[AT333]

Mine(7) is on the way as well, so that's everyone

Congratulations! that is a real beauty. I am green with envy.

[Fuut]

Number 8 and 9 are finalized. You should receive confirmation and tracking if applicable directly from artisticnippon.com shortly.

Sweet Chip, i'll keep an eye on mail.

[Chip]

All have officially been shipped.

[Alex]

Here's hojo little piece on the Gisui clay for those that managed to grab a honshudei

Gisui Hand-made Natural Red Clay Teapot
义翠手制本朱泥茶器
This is called Nashikawa teapot, in Chinese it's called 梨皮, as the dotted sand-pattern resembles the pear-skin.
It's made of 100% natural red clay of Tokoname, which is very rare nowadays, as many tea ware are made using the commercial clays blended and supplied by clay manufacturers.
Tokoname was one of the oldest kilns in Japan in the history. Back in old days, there used to be abundant of natural clays, but it was no longer available for now in pottery lines.
When we met the potter, Gisui, in Tokoname, he happened to kept this batch of natural red clay, that he inherited from his predecessor. This could be the last batch of the remaining natural red clay of Tokoname.

Mine landed in the uk today......soon.....soon

[Alex]

Got mine.Instant love at first touch. I've never owned a tall pot before and didn't realize quite what a big difference that shape makes. Sencha didnt even really touch the screen on all 3 brews. Will try it with Fuka later

Mine has a finger print! I very full one in the exact spot on your original Chip. Its either intentional or he's left handed and it happens when he's signing the pots (irony) with his right thumb resting in that spot.

However the amount of rotation of the print looks too weird to be from this. So I'm going for intentional.....plus I like that story better

I guess we'll never know.

Will get some pictures up. Its got a much more dinky look to it in real life which adds to its details. The picture makes it look far bigger. A truly incredible pot and an utter steal for the price. I hope it doesnt spark a TAD wave of looking for tall pots.